Double sheet ejector



Sept. 6, 1938. J. H. oNEu.

DOUBLE SHEET EJECTOR Filed Oct. 2, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gmc/Mio@ jb fd mm/Maps Sept. 6, 1938. J, H 0NE|| 2,129,230 l DOUBLE SHEET EJECTOR Filed Oc'b. 2, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 6, 1938 lLizenzen PATENT oi-Fice 2.129,2@ DOUBLE SHEET EJEC'IOR James Il. ONeil, Syracuse,

Uontlnental Can Company, N. Y., a corporation of New Application October .2,

3' Claims.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in a double sheetl ejectorprimarily adapted for use in connection with automatic sheet feeding mechanism, as for example, inthe 5 feeding of sheet metal to a slitter.V The sheets are usually stacked in a' pile and the topmost sheet is lifted from vthe pile by suction cups and then fed to the operating mechanism. Sometimes two sheets adhere and will be lifted as one sheet and fed into the machine. v The two adhering sheets are referred to as a double sheet or an abnormal sheet.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simple ejecting mechanism of few parts which is rendered operative by an abnormal sheet only for diverting the-same anism.

A further object of the invention is to provide a detector which will cause the ejector mechanism to be set in operation by a double sheet passing between the feed rolls, but not by a single sheet with a small irregularity or bump in its surface, or one with a bent edge.

r A still further object of the invention is to 25 provide means for releasing the whole detector jammed.

The invention, in its present form, involves a mercury switch attached to a detector disk which is close enough to the feed table to be engaged and rotated by a double sheet. The mercury switch is normally open but is adapted to be closed by the turning of the disk through a predetermined angle. The wldth'of the angle, however, is such that a minor irregularity will not rotate the detector disk far enough to close the switch.

The-construction of the invention and the advantages thereof will be more particularly explained in connection with the` accompanying drawings, in which* Figure l is a side elevation oi the detector unit, also showing diagrammatically parts of the machine with which .it may be used; l

Fig. 2 is an isometric sectionalview, enlarged, taken along the axis of the detector unit, with the switch) omitted in order to show other details;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged end view of the disk carrying the'mercury switch, when in normal position;

Fig. 4 is a detail viewof the disk and spring viewed from the opposite side;

Fig. 5 illustrates th position of the disk and switch as actuated by a double sheet;

Figures 6 and I illustrate the behavior of the switch yunder the influence of a buckled or irregular sheet, and

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the sheet ejector which is set in operation bythe closing of the il switch. ,l

from the feeding mechunit, in case a sheet is so irregular that it becomes N. Y., assignor to Inc.. New York, York 1936, Serial No. 103,796

For the purpose of illustration, the double sheet detector and ejector are shown in connection with a machine for cutting the sheet into strips. This machine comprises "a table Ill, over which the sheets Il are automatically fed one by one to the feed rolls I2. This machine does not per se constitute a part of the present invention `and need not be described in detail. Whatever mechanism is used for feeding the sheets, it sometimes happens that two sheets will adhere together and thus be fed between the rolls I2. When this occurs, it is quite important that they be ejected before they reach the cutting rolls I3.' For this purpose, therefore, the detector Il is supported above the table I just ahead of the feed rolls I2, as shown in Fig. l.

The detector Il comprises a disk I5, which may be rubbenmetal, wood or other suitable material. This disk is mounted to rotate on ball bearings |59" about a stud I8, which is secured by nuts I6a to a suitable supporting panel I'I, with the shoulder I6b engaging the front face of the panel. The panel and stud are so supported that the disk I is disposed at one side of the path of travel of a normal sheet and out of contact therewith, but sufficiently close to the ypath so that an abnormal sheet, that is, two sheets adhering together and constituting a double sheet, will frictionally contact with and rotate the disk.

' A mercury switch I8 is supported in a clip I9 carried by the disk I5. The clip is provided with Slots` for receiving screws 2l. whereby the switch is adjustably secured to the disk I5. The switch is protected by a housing 22, of which the panel Il constitutes a part and which is provided with a hole 23 for receiving the wiring. The housing is open onits under side and is placed high enough to permit the sheets to pass therebeneath. 1'- l It will be seen from Fig. 3 that when a single sheet is fed beneath the detector, the Switch will not be disturbed, but together, the disk will be engaged and rotated, as indicated in Fig. 5, and the switch will be closed. A pin 24 anchored in the disk I5 projects into the arcuate slot 25 in the panel I1. The ends oi the slot 25 serve as stops for limiting the rotation of the disk in both directions. When a double sheet passes beyond the detector disk. the latter is returned to its initial position, as shown in Fig. 3, by avcoiled spring 26, shown in detail in Fig. 4, one end of this spring being anchored in the disk I5 and the other end anchored in the panel I1. l

The panel I1 is yieldably supported by a rigid arm 21. For this purpose, the arm is provided at its end with a hub 28, which receives a shouldered stud 29. The small end 3010i this stud is threaded into the panel l1. 'A torsion spring 3i is wound when two sheets are fedl about the stud between the panel and the hub 28. A tongue 32 at one end of the spring engages a slot 33 inthe panel, while a tongue 34 at the other end of the spring engages a selected one of the slots 35 in the end of the hub. When a sheet fed beneath the detector is so badly crumpled that it jams against the detector housing, the

- latter will be rotated about the hub 28 as a. center, so that the whole unit will clear.

The ejector, as 'shown supported on'a framework 36 above the table I0 and behind ythe detector I4. It comprises rolls 31 .driven by suitable mechanism 88 operatively connected with the machine.- A feed chute 39 leading to the rolls 31 has an apron 40 carried by a rock shaft 4I -which is mounted on the framework and normally held above the path of the sheets, as shown in full lines in Fig. 8. An arm 42 is secured to the rock shaft 4I and is connected by a link 43 to the core 44 of a solenoid 45, which is connected by wires 46 to the switch I9 and to a suitable source of electric current.

When the switch I9 is closed, the solenoid is energized, rocking the shaft 4I and moving the apron 40 tothe dotted line position shown in Fig.

8, with its lower edge extending into a slot t1 in the table il), so that the double sheet. which causes the switch to close, is ejected and passes through the chute 39, between the rolls 37 and onto a raised table 48 behind the same.

It will be understood that, in the normal operation of the machine, the sheets are automatically fed one by one between the rolls it and to the cutter, the detector and ejector remaining idle. When two sheets stick together and are thus fed between the rolls It, the upper sheet engages the rubber disk i5 and rotates it until the pin 24 engages the upper end of the slot 2b.'

In this position, the switch I8 is closed, the solenoid 45 is energized, the apron lil)l is lowered until-its lower edge extends into the slot 41 in the .table IIJ, and the double sheetis carried through the rolls 31 to the table 48, so that it is not fed to the slitter or other machine which the detector is designed to protect.

If a sheet is slightly buckled, as shown at 49 in Fig. 6, or if it has a heavy burr on the leading edge, high enough to engage the disk I5 as shown in Fig. 7 at 50, the disk will be rotated to some extent, but not far enough to close the switch, since these slight imperfections will not seriously interfere with the chine.

` If a sheet is so badly crumpled that it jams againstthe housing 22, the entire detector unit will be rotated about the axis of the hub 28 until the sheet clears the housing. This also will close the switch and the sheet Will be ejected.

Whenever the disk I5 is displaced from its normal position by a double sheet or ly an imperfect sheet, it is immediately returned by', the spring 26, as soon as the sheet which caused the displacement has passed beyond the detector. Likewise, whenever the whole unit is displaced with respect to the hub 28, it is returned by the spring 3 I.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the invention permits the use of automatic sheet feeding mechanism and protects the machinecompletely against possible injury or interference' with its operation by imperfections in the sheets or inthe feeding thereof. It may, of course, be used in connection with any ,type

in Figures 1 and 8, isx

y 1. The combination extreme position and returning normal operation of" the maythe disk in rotation of sheets may be fed, regardto be performed on the of machine to which less` of the `operation sheets.

It is also to be understood that the construction of the invention, as herein shown and described. is merely illustrative, and that the invention also includes all such modifications as may be made within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Having thus described the' invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv with sheet feeding mechanism, of a rigid support provided wtih a hub above the path of the sheets, a stud rotatably mounted in said hub, a housing secured to said stud, a torsion spring connecting the hub to the stud and normally holding the housing in a predetermined position, a disk rotatably supported within the housing with a segment thereof projecting from the housing toward the path of the sheets and spaced therefrom so as to contact only with abnormally thick or doubleV sheets, a normally open switch carried by said disk and adapted to be closed by a predetermined rotation thereof, and means actuated upo'n the closing of said switch to eject the abnormal sheet from its normal course of travel, said housing being rotatable in opposition to said spring to allow an err-i cessively abnormal sheet to clear.

2. The combination with sheet feeding mech-m anism, of a rigid support provided with a hub above the path of the sheets, a stud rotatably mounted in said hub, a housing secured to said stud, a torsion spring connecting the hub to the stud and normally holding the housing in a predetermined position, a disk rotatably supported within the housing with a segment thereof projecting from the housing toward the path of the sheets and spaced therefrom so as to contact only with abnormally thick or double sheets, stops limitnlg the rotation of the disk in either direction, a spring normally holding the disk in one it to such position when it isreleased by the sheet, a normally open switch carried by said disk and adapted to be closed by a predetermined rotation thereof, and means actuated upon the closing of said switch to eject the abnormal sheet from its normal course of travel, said housing being rotatable in opposition to its spring to allow an excessively abnormal sheet to clear.

, 3. 'I'he combination with sheet feeding mechanism,of a rigid support provided with a supporting member disposed above the path of travel of the sheets, a housing pivotally mounted on said support, a spring for normally holding 'said housing in a predetermined position .relative to' the support, a disk rotatably supportedV Within the housing with a segment thereof projecting from the housing toward the pathof the sheets and spaced therefrom so as to contact only with ab'- normally thick or double sheets, the axis of said disk being disposed beneath the pivotal support for the housing, stops for limiting the rotation of either direction, a spring normally holding the disk in one extreme position and returning the same thereto when released by the sheet, a normally open switch carried by said disk and adapted to be closed by a predetermined the disk, and means actuated upon the closing of said switch to eject the abnormal shape from its normal course of travel.

JAMES H. ONEIL. 

